


steel edged

by asofthaven



Series: VDay Lockers 2020 [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, Mafia AU, Minor Violence, pre romantic stabbing i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23241286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asofthaven/pseuds/asofthaven
Summary: Kenma keeps the knife up and says, "Leave."A smart person would do just that, and be grateful for Kenma's mercy. Shouyou is neither; he keeps his gun leveled, his eyes glittering with adrenaline.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma
Series: VDay Lockers 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685722
Comments: 6
Kudos: 107
Collections: Valentine's Day Lockers 2020





	steel edged

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ellipsometry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellipsometry/gifts).



Kenma only responds to Kuroo's orders because the subject of those orders drops right out of the air and lands in front of him. Even without the bright orange hair, he would have known this was Hinata Shouyou. No one in Tokyo would so brazenly cross Nekoma's territory with a gun visible on their thigh.

Kenma's fingers twitch towards his sheathed knives. He doesn't have kill orders; it's unusual, but Kenma prefers it that way. Blood is too troublesome to deal with, and even the cleanest swipes of Kenma's knife will leave buckets of it in his wake.

"Oh," Shouyou says, to himself. He obviously didn't notice Kenma's presence before he landed. He freezes, one hand on his thigh holster and the other on the strap of a black bag. Kenma doesn't care what's in the bag; it's not relevant to the orders. "They said this way would be clear."

Kenma doesn't know who _they_ are, but he has his suspicions. Kuroo has always been about building allies, even when it didn't look like it. Why else would he give _keep away_ orders when a rival gang was so clearly invading their turf?

Kenma pulls his first knife and advances before Shouyou can even think to take a step back. He closes the space between them easily, swinging his knife in a precise arc that will land at Shouyou's shoulder. Non-lethal. 

Shouyou recovers quickly, a strong arm shooting out to deflect the path of Kenma's knife and managing to push him aside in the same breath. Kenma takes two steps to the side, out of reach.

The gun is out now, black and inconspicuous and pointed at Kenma's head. Kenma doesn't like guns; too loud and too much mess, too high a chance that someone will overhear.

Shouyou doesn't seem like the kind of person who has that problem. Shouyou seems like he'd find that sort of thing satisfying.

Kenma keeps the knife up and says, "Leave."

A smart person would do just that, and be grateful for Kenma's mercy. Shouyou is neither; he keeps his gun leveled, his eyes glittering with adrenaline.

"I'm lost," Shouyou says, innocently. He smiles. "D'you know where Nekoma's ammunition is stored?"

He likely already has some of the ammunition in that black bag, but Kenma pretends to believe his mission isn't already complete.

 _Keep away_ , Kenma thinks, kicking himself forward and taking another swing. Shouyou ducks away from this one as well, the knife sparking against the metal of his gun. _Keep away, keep away, keep away._

Shouyou is fast, but the terrain is to Kenma's advantage; he knows these alleyways and chain link fences the way he knows to breath. He corners Shouyou at the outskirts of the city, only for Shouyou to misdirect him with a gunshot and charge through the path Kenma startles away from.

Kenma can tell Shouyou's learning his moves and patterns. Too quickly. Too quickly, Shouyou's figuring out a counterattack. Given time, Kenma thinks this might be a battle he might not know the outcome of.

Not today, though. Kenma spins, letting the thin knife fly from his hand. Shouyou swerves to miss it, his grip slackening on the gun. Kenma throws his body forward, pulling out his knife—his better knife, the one that cuts clean lines before the other person even notices them—and crossing it in front of his body.

Not to kill, he reminds himself.

He keeps the sharp side pointing outwards. Just in case.

They land against the grimy wall with a slam, Shouyou's knees buckling on either side of Kenma's body. Kenma slides down with him, shooting out a hand to press Shouyou's wrists above his head, scraping them against the brick. He levels his knife at Shouyou's throat.

Sweat trickles down Kenma's temple. His breathing is ragged. He can't remember the last time he had an opponent who made him work hard enough to pant.

"Hey," Shouyou says, his smile spreading wide and manic. It sends a shiver down Kenma's spine, but he keeps his knife steady where it is. "What's your name?"

He sounds unconcerned with how his mortality sits in the angle of Kenma's hand; he sounds excited. The trigger finger of one hand is twisted, but he doesn't appear to notice. He looks at Kenma expectantly, chest still heaving from their chase.

Kenma's mouth quirks upwards. Not a smile, exactly. Just recognition. He's always been able to sense danger. Shouyou is nothing but.

They stayed locked for a moment longer, the rumbling of Tokyo nightlife swallowing their breaths. Kenma's blood pumps loudly in his ears as the tip of his knife presses ever so slightly against the thin skin at Shouyou's throat.

That manic look is still in Shouyou's eyes, his trapped wrists tensing under Kenma's grip. Kenma has to wonder which will be quicker—his knife or Hinata's hands. He has to wonder if it'll end in a draw. He suspects it might.

He almost hopes it might, if only to keep things interesting.

It's this thought that finally gets Kenma to let out a puff of laughter, his hair shifting slightly with it. 

"Kenma," he answers quietly. He leans back onto his heels, knife still outstretched as he straightens his spine and lets go of Shouyou's wrists. Shouyou watches him, hands frozen above him like Kenma is still bearing down on him.

Kenma adds, only a touch louder, "The next time you're in Tokyo, the orders will probably be to kill."

Shouyou lets out a laugh, delighted. He pulls his hands back down, letting the gun hang harmless from one thumb. His eyes glint, sharp and golden and terrifying. "That's only if you can catch me."

"I did once."

"You won't again." Shouyou tilts his head, as if daring Kenma to say otherwise. When Kenma doesn't say anything, he smiles again. "It's more fun that way, right?"

Shouyou stows away his gun, and Kenma finally lowers his knife. Shouyou's still smiling, like they're sharing a secret. They might be.

Kenma looks away, letting his hair swing into his face. He takes a deep breath, then another. By the time he looks back, Shouyou is already gone.

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! i saw "romantic stabbing" in your wishlist and immediately thought of kenhina with knives so here we are. I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> kudos and comments always appreciated c:


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